Shared Flashcard Set

Details

Solar System-Kelly
Solar System-Kelly
31
Astronomy
7th Grade
02/04/2013

Additional Astronomy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Solar System
Definition
system of eigh planets, including Earth, and other objects that revolve aroud the Sun
Term
Nebula
Definition
large cloud of gas ad dust that contracts under gravitational force and break apart into smaller pieces, each of which might collapse to form a star
Term
Heliocentrism
Definition
having the Sun as the center
Term
geocentrism
Definition
having the Earth as the center
Term
Earth-centered model
Definition
ancient Greeks thought everything revolved around te Earth
Term
Sun-centered model
Definition
all planets revolved around the Sun
Term
Copernicus
Definition
Scientist that developed the Sun-centered model of the solar system and believed that planets traveld in circles. He did not share his views on the solar system until on his deathbed
Term
Galileo
Definition
Scientist that beleved that the Sun was the center of the solar system and observed planets from his telescope. He was placed on house arrest for his views on the slar system
Term
Kepler
Definition
German mathmatician who discovered that the planets are not circular, but oval shaped (elliptical) and discovered that the Sun is not the center of the solar system. He aso discovered that planets travel at different speeds.
Term
Mercury
Definition
smallest planet, closest to the Sun; does not have a true atmosphere; has a surfaceith many craters and high cliffs
Term
Venus
Definition
second planet from the Sun; similar to the Earth in mass ad size; hs a thick atmosphere and a surface with craters, faultlike cracks, and volcanoes
Term
Earth
Definition
thrid planet from the Sun; has an atmosphere that protects life and surface temperatures that allow water to exist as a solid, liquid, and gas
Term
Mars
Definition
fourth planet from the Sun; has polar ice caps, a thin atmosphere, and a reddish appearance caused by iron oxide in weathered rocks and soil
Term
Jupiter
Definition
largest and fifth planet from the Sun; contains more mass than all the other planets combined, has continuous storms of high-pressure gas, and an atmosphere of mostly hydrogen and helium
Term
Io
Definition
Jupiter's closest large moon; the gravitational force of Jupiter and Europa pull on Io; the force heats up causing Io to be the most volcanically active object in the sar system
Term
Europa
Definition
Jupiter's nxt large moon; mainly composed of rock with a thick, smooth crust of ice and under this icemay be an ocean as deep as 50 km
Term
Saturn
Definition
second largest and sixth planet from the Sun; has a complex ring system, at least 31 moons, and a thick atmosphere made mostly of hydrogen and helium
Term
Uranus
Definition
seventh planet from the Sun; is large and gaseous, has a distinct bluish-green color, nd rotates on an axis nearly parallel to the plane of its orbit
Term
Neptune
Definition
usually the eighth planet from the Sun; is large and gaseous, has rings that vary in thickness, and is bluish-green in color
Term
Pluto (dwarf planet)
Definition
has a diameter of 2,300 km; it is surrounded by only a thin atmosphere and it has a solid, icy-rock surface; has three moons
Term
Comet
Definition
space object made of dust and rock particles mixed with frozen water, methane, ad ammonia that forms a bright coma as it approaches the Sun
Term
Halley's Comet
Definition
was last seen from Earth in 1986; English astronomer Edmund Halley realized that comet sightings that had taken place about every 76 years were really sightings from the same comet; the comet was named after him and it takes about 76 years for it to orbit the Sun
Term
Coma
Definition
A bright cloud that is fromed when gases are released from the sun; prt of a comet
Term
Tail
Definition
part of a comet that is formed when the solar wind pushes on the gases and dust in the coma, causing particles to from seperate tails that form away from the Sun
Term
Meteor
Definition
a meteoroid that burns up in Earth's atmosphere
Term
Meteorite
Definition
a meteoroid that strikes the surface of a moon or planet
Term
Meteoroid
Definition
Pieces of rock and dust that used to be small pieces from the comet's nucleus that spread out into a loose group within the original orbit of a comet
Term
Asteroid
Definition
a piece of rock or metal made up of material similar to that which formed the planets; mostly found in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
Term
Asteroid Belt
Definition
an area where most asteroids are located; it is between Mars and Jupiter
Term
Ceres
Definition
discovered in 1801; has an average diameter of about 940 km and is located within the asteroid belt; orbits the Sun about once every 4.6 years
Term
Oort Cloud
Definition
cloud of billions of comets that surround the solar system; located beyond the orbit of Pluto; Jan Oort proposed this idea
Supporting users have an ad free experience!